Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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72. To ask the Minister for Health the action that will be taken to address the fact that 2,155 persons are waiting more than18 months for an outpatient appointment at University Hospital Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38055/16]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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This Government is committed to improving waiting times for patients. While recognising that demand for acute hospital services has increased, the important issue for patients is how long they wait.

Under the HSE Service Plan 2016 targets, 85% of people should be waiting less than 52 weeks for their first outpatient appointment. The latest NTPF Outpatient Waiting List figures indicate that 82% of people in Galway University Hospital are waiting less than 52 weeks for their first outpatient appointment and 94% of people are waiting less than 18 months. There are a number of ongoing and planned construction projects at Galway University Hospital that will increase capacity in the future.

In August, I asked the HSE to develop a Waiting List Action Plan for 2016 to reduce, by year end, the number of patients waiting over 18 months for an inpatient or day case procedure. Since then, approximately 6,500 patients have been removed from the waiting list nationally.

Regarding outpatient waiting lists in particular, the HSE recently launched the Strategy for the design of Integrated Outpatient Services 2016-2020. It seeks to improve waiting times for outpatient services by enhancing patient referral pathways and utilising technology to enable better planning.

Budget 2017 provides for the treatment of our longest-waiting patients. €20m is being allocated to the NTPF in 2017, rising to €55m in 2018. Planning of these initiatives is currently being finalised. I will shortly be asking the HSE to develop a Waiting List Action Plan for 2017, working collaboratively with the NTPF, to address inpatient, day case and also outpatient waiting times.